1. Field
The following description relates generally to wireless communications, and more particularly to relay node resource assignment and communication.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, . . . ). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP), 3GPP long term evolution (LTE), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), and/or multi-carrier wireless specifications such as evolution data optimized (EV-DO), one or more revisions thereof, etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device may communicate with one or more access points (e.g., base stations) via transmissions on downlinks and uplinks. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from access points to mobile devices, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to access points. Further, communications between mobile devices and access points may be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth. In addition, mobile devices can communicate with other mobile devices (and/or access points with other access points) in peer-to-peer wireless network configurations.
Relay nodes can be provided in wireless communication systems to increase network capacity and improve energy efficiency. In particular, relay nodes can be of multiple types. In one example, a relay node can autonomously facilitate communication between mobile devices and access points. For example, the relay node can independently schedule communications with an access point, over a backhaul link, and with a mobile device, over an access link. The relay node can subsequently decode and forward received communications between the links.
In another example, a relay node can superimpose access link communication on top of direct communication from the access point to the mobile device to provide amplification, additional redundancy in the transmission, and/or the like. In either case, a relay node can be open half-duplex, such that it receives or transmits communications in a given time period. In this regard, relay nodes typically follow a statically defined communication specification where a collection of time slots can be used for receiving over the backhaul link while another collection of time slots can be used for transmitting over the access link.